The instant invention is directed to the field of fishing tackle and trolling tackle, generally, and dodgers, also called flashers, for trolling, specifically.
Trolling, particularly at depth below the surface of the water, and more particularly, at specified and adjustable depths, is a longstanding method of fishing, particularly sport fishing with artificial lures. A significant number of devices of the prior art exist, which are designed to be trolled, behind a trolling boat, at the end of a fishing line and which, by their shape, produce rotational or vibrational movement, in the water, as a “lure.” These prior art devices, or lures, may have fishing hooks attached directly to them, or may be trolled, behind a boat, and prior to another hooked lure, or an array of lures, or other baits. Many of these devices are equipped with one or more splines, or “fins” which, depending upon their alignment with the directional pull of the device or lure, in the case of a dodger or flasher from which other fishing lures are trailed, will produce rotation of the primary device or lure which will, in turn, produce a rotation of abt trailing lure or lures. A number of these devices have one or more points of attachment at either end. For the most part, however, the devices of the prior art contain a fixed spline, or “fin” relationship to the device. This fixed relationship limits the ability to vary the degree of “flutter” or “rotation,” or “roll,” and to accomplish such a variation, a fisherman must vary the direction of the “pull” of the fishing line relative to the device and/or vary the directional trailing pull of the lures which trail the device. The present invention is directed to a trolling device or “dodger” which incorporates the general prior art utilization of a generally planar member, and one or more directional splines or fins, but, one in which, the fisherman, in using the same, may vary the rotation or roll of the device, and, thus, any lure or lures trailing it, without detaching or moving the lead trolling line, and without detaching or moving the trailing lure or lures. Examples of the prior art, which do not provide the benefit to an angler of the present device, are U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,592 to Kirsch, for a fishing device; U.S. Pat. No. 6,493,984 B 1 to Bechhold, for a fishing lure and trolling flasher; U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,957 to S. Marino, for a fishing lure; U.S. Pat. No. 967,660, to T. Pedersen, for fishing tackle; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,408, to J. H. Murphy, et al, for fishing lures.
As may be readily ascertained from review of the prior art, prior devices, also referred to herein as “dodgers,” “lures,” and/or “flashers,” are all designed to produce movement of the device itself, and/or trailing lures or devices, but none of the prior art provides the ability to definitively adjust the movement, roll, or rotation of the device in the water, without changing the general alignment of the device relative to the lead fishing or trolling line, and/or the trailing fishing lures, if applicable.
The present invention addresses a long standing need, as evidenced by current commercial success of the device, to provide a trolling device, commonly known as a “dodger” or “flasher” which may be affixed to a lead fishing line, and further affixed to one or more trailing lures and with regard to such a device, which an angler utilizing same may adjust the rotational movement, or roll, of the device quickly, easily, without additional equipment, and without removing or adjusting either the lead or trailing lines.